South Burnett records 129 per cent cancer patient increase

Almost 1800 South Burnett residents are forced to travel long distances for life-saving medical care, new data reveals. Now there’s a bid to bring a vital treatment to Kingaroy.

Statistics show a shocking increase of South Burnett residents who require lifesaving cancer treatments, with no choice but to travel hundreds of kilometres.

New data shows a shocking increase in South Burnett residents who require lifesaving cancer treatments but are forced to travel hundreds of kilometres for care.

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A regional MP has called for chemotherapy to be made available at Kingaroy Hospital.

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The number of cancer patients needing treatment in the South Burnett has risen 129 per cent over the past five years, based on statistics provided by Health Minister Yvette D’Ath.

In 2022, 1777 adults and children from the South Burnett needed lifesaving chemotherapy or systemic anti-cancer treatment but could not access treatment locally.

LNP Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said it seemed unbelievable Kingaroy Hospital was not able to provide the medical care.

There are currently no chemotherapy nurses at Kingaroy Hospital.

“Being diagnosed with cancer is bad enough, but the added stress of having to travel such long distances is exhausting and expensive,” Mrs Frecklington said.

“I am urgently calling for the Health Minister to acknowledge how high the need is in the South Burnett and fund a chemotherapy nurse at Kingaroy Hospital,” she said.

A Minister for Health and Ambulance spokesman said when designing hospital services, many factors needed to be considered.

“Including the identity of patient cohorts that can be treated safely in the model of care, the service capability level of the hospital and the ability to establish a suitably trained and sustainable staffing model,” the spokesman said.

“In the case of chemotherapy care, patients who attend rural facilities are required to be medically stable and clinically suitable to access the service.

“Darling Downs Hospital and Health Services operates a bus service which patients located within the South Burnett are able to access.

“Patients are also able to access the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme should they so choose,” he said.

Dr Chris Cowling said more patients across the regions would benefit from an increase in teleoncology services based in Toowoomba.

DDH Rural executive director Dr Chris Cowling said more patients could soon benefit from an increase in teleoncology services but these would be in Toowoomba.

“It enables eligible patients who are located in rural areas to remain in their communities to receive treatment and other oncology-related services,” Dr Cowling said.

“These sites are Dalby, Warwick, Charleville, St George and Roma.

“We are currently evaluating the suitability of expanding this service in the South Burnett region soon to support patients closer to home,” he said.

Ms Frecklington said in 2020 her petition to re-install a specialist cancer nurse navigator attracted 1500 signatures.

“The government did not hear our calls,” Ms Frecklington said.

“It is obvious that this position also needs to returned to our region given the huge increase in people needing support during their cancer journey.”